Having discussed the pup side of things, my idle mind turned to the trainers.

In my gang the Recruit cadre is weekend on, weekend off over 7/8 weeks which is, generally the way that other units do it. ( Please, if you want to debate that, would you open a seperate thread... )

This is quite a demand on the commitment of the trainers. they are also expected to teach on drill nights - from what I've seen, there are two DS per company location and so its hard for them not to turn up.

Now, if the RTT can be established for 3-4 guys, the training can be shared out on a more equitable basis giving a bit more down-time for DS.

One way to do this, is to insists that before a JNCO gets their second / third tape on completion of the appropriate Brecon course, they do 6-9 months in the RTT. This incentivises them, ensures that fit motivated guys who are doctrinaly up to date do the training and gives a time horizon rather than a sentance at HM pleasure.

Oh for just one weekend on one off, I have around 28 weekends between now and Dec 06, thats just for recruit training, let alone camp and Exercise weekends etc, including a 9 weekends in a row coming up....its only part time my Arrse.

Having just completed 5 years as head of RRTT within HQ Coy, last year I managed to do 96 days training and that only included one 15 day camp, the rest was as you say weekend on weekend off. For the most of it, i was the only Instructor there and had to get on with it, my family sufferred as a result as, i had to put the TA first on weekends etc cause if i failed to show the recruits didnt get to the weekend and on two occassions i had to leave an il wife at home with two young boys because i had to attend, the pressure was onme to show through.

As a result of my hard work, the CO has reccomended me for promotion to get three up so maybe it was worth it???

I dont see that a RRTT PSI would ease the demand on recruit instructors. Sure from the day to day running of the team and all the admin that goes with it, it would be a bonus to have a permenant staff member, but as far as reduceing the amount of time that the guys have to put in over the weekends, NO.

They are still going to have to put the time in, to train, get out on the ground and recruit etc.

I dont see a easy answer for this problem, MAYBE, if retension was better ( if for what ever reason), then recruiting and recruit training
would not be so highly demanding.

NOW, if that RRTT PSI was to come with a couple of regular Riflemen ! Different answer altogether.